


Futurity

by merry_amelie



Series: Academic Arcadia [24]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Alternate Reality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-06-13
Updated: 2004-06-13
Packaged: 2018-02-04 23:57:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1798039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Present joy, future promise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Futurity

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> For Alex, my friend and beta.
> 
> Thanks to Nerowill for requesting a graduation story with Quinn and Ian.

Ian and Quinn walked in measured steps to the sound of the school orchestra as they moved across the quadrangle in a sea of robes. Luke University's professors honored this year's graduating class with their pageantry, the rainbow of colors lining the hoods on their backs honoring their own alma maters as well. The processional had started at Taton Hall, the oldest building on campus, and was coming to a halt in front of Wookly Center, the newest. The faculty filed into its block of seats and stood at attention, waiting for the graduates' arrival.

The lofty notes of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance filled the air, the students entering to its stately promise. Faculty, students, and parents took their seats when the music stopped. President Vale addressed the gathering amidst birdsong and rustling. 

Ian and Quinn sat quietly in the faculty section as they watched the Class of 2004 accept their diplomas in the Garden Quadrangle. Quinn had known some of the students for the four years of their stay at Luke, and many a graduate waved and smiled at him.

Each of the colleges within the university held a separate ceremony to make the numbers -- of students, families, and the consequent traffic -- manageable. As a result, there were only 125 graduating seniors on the Von Danakin campus that year.

Quinn hoped the event would be over fairly quickly, though he was aware of President Vale's speechifying tendencies. He and Ian had plans that afternoon that did not include pomp and platitudes. 

Classes had ended almost a month ago, and the summer schedule would start next week. This fifth day of June was unseasonably cool, the temperature in the low 60s.

Quinn's robes brushed pleasantly along his forearms. He was reminded of another breezy graduation ceremony, eight years back. Quinn re-imagined that day, this time with Ian at his side. They'd be seated together, just as they currently were, both wearing the green lining on their hoods that showed their university affiliation. They would be listening to President Alder's address, two new Ph.D.s in Bailor's Class of 1996.

When they were presented with their diplomas, he and Ian would share a smile too big to be contained by just one person. Since this was a daydream, Quinn indulged in his secret wish: to kiss Ian in public. He'd crush Ian to him right there in the courtyard, diploma in his left hand, Ian's robe in the right. Quinn would kiss his cheek first, then taste Ian's irresistible lips. Somehow the kiss made their accomplishments more real.

Brought back to the current ceremony by a lull in the President's speech, Quinn looked over at Ian and saw his shining eyes. There was something about a graduation celebration: a new hope, future possibilities awaiting fulfillment. Quinn recognized this feeling of potential; ever since he'd met Ian, he had experienced its force. 

After Cree Zane received his sheepskin, the crowd erupted into cheers and the graduates threw their mortarboards into the air in exhilaration. Students, parents, and faculty streamed over to the open-air buffet in the Commons. However, he and Ian did not join them; they had an important party to attend that afternoon in honor of little Lelia Morgan.

They went to the office first to get notes for their work at home. Mortarboards still in place, Quinn couldn't resist grabbing the tassel currently brushing the left side of Ian's face. He ran it through his fingers, feeling the same sense of deja vu he'd had at Williamsburg while wearing the periwig. Quinn gentled the fringe along Ian's cheek, watching his lover's eyes close in bliss.

The tassel was a symbol of academic accomplishment; when shifted from right to left, it was an unofficial token of graduation. Drifting along Ian's cheek, it became something more. Ian responded to the kiss of the brushy tip as he did to Quinn's most ardent caresses. Quinn would make sure to bring the tassel to their bedroom for future use.

The men folded their robes and put them in the backseat of the THX with the baby's presents, then headed for Lelia's party at her grandparents' home. Since they'd had to attend graduation first, they arrived after the other guests and parked the car on the street.

Keith was sitting on the front steps, camera in hand. "Hi, guys. Did you bring your regalia with you?"

Ian and Quinn waved and turned back to the car for the requested items. They donned them and patiently posed for Keith's pictures. These would be the first photos of both of them together in their robes, reminding Quinn of his Bailor daydream.

Keith let Quinn and Ian in, and they saw the family gathered in the living room, Kathy on the couch with the baby on her lap, surrounded by Ian's brother and mother. A few aunts and uncles were relaxing in armchairs close by. Ian heard Monty crooning "Daddy's little princess" as they entered.

Jo immediately rose to welcome them. "Hi, fellas! Your niece has been waiting for you."

Kathy held her arms out with a smile, watching indulgently while Jo scooped up Lelia and showed her off to Quinn and Ian. They obligingly made funny faces and funnier noises for the infant, earning what they hoped was a smile.

After a few moments with Lelia, the two greeted the adults, most of whom Quinn already knew, and headed to the dining room for refreshments. Their plates filled with Jo's good cooking, they snagged two bottles of Guinness from the refrigerator. Since there were no more seats in the living room, they went to the den in search of sofa space.

The den had been their sanctuary on many a previous visit, when the household had become a bit too bustling for them, and it welcomed the men again now. They had been inundated by people at two separate celebrations, and it was a relief to strip off their social masks, if only for the few minutes it would take them to finish their meal.

"Lelia will be a member of the Class of 2026. Can you believe it, Ian?" Quinn took a sip of his Guinness.

"I've been imagining the future all day. Our niece, the graduates -- the future is here, and it's wonderful to see." Ian moved his thigh to press against Quinn's.

Quinn smiled appreciatively. "I wonder if Lelia will decide to attend Luke? She may even be eligible for a family discount."

"We'll have to check it out." Ian grinned impishly as he subtly increased the pressure on Quinn's thigh.

Keith poked his head in the door, and smiled when he saw their plates piled high. "Should have asked you to bring some folding chairs." He sat on a recliner to Ian's right. "How was graduation?"

"Fine, Dad. The best part was seeing the light in their eyes." Ian unobtrusively put more space between Quinn and himself.

"You looked like that too, Ian." He reached out to pat his son on the arm. "And I have the pictures to prove it. You've seen the photos, Quinn. Right?"

"I certainly have, Keith. In fact, we have one of them on our living room bookcase." Quinn's own graduation picture stood tall beside it. 

"Are Kathy and Monty staying over, Dad?"

"Yes, they've decided to give your mother and me a treat and spend a few days with us while Kathy's on maternity leave anyway."

Ian finished his Guinness, and said, "Back soon." He went by the kitchen, intending to drop his bottle in the recycling bin before using the bathroom, but was stopped in his tracks when he heard his name. His two uncles were talking as they sat at the kitchen table and apparently he, or more accurately himself and Quinn, was the main topic of conversation. Ian stayed just outside the door to listen, unable to resist the chance to hear what his uncles really thought of them.

"...forever the baby brother, isn't he, Mal?" 

"Definitely, Rory. Running around after Monty for half his life, then he finds a new 'playmate' when Monty got married."

"Remember the photos of them when Monty was 15 and Ian 10? The height differential is exactly the same as Quinn and Ian's." 

Ian moved away from the door quickly, reminded of why eavesdropping was always a bad idea. He headed for the bathroom, now needing its privacy for another reason. Ian did his business, then drank some water while sorting out his reactions to his uncles' comments.

First of all, he noted that there wasn't a hint of censure about their orientation. What his uncles found telling was that he seemed to want a replay of his childhood relationship with his brother. 

Ian examined this idea dispassionately, having never considered it before, even after Monty's comment about the greater likelihood of younger brothers being gay. He had always looked up to Monty as he did to Quinn, and the age difference was virtually the same, but the men themselves were complete opposites.

Monty had always been an extrovert, surrounding himself with friends and lovers through the years. He liked attention, and sometimes did outlandish things to garner it, provoking friends with dares and challenges.

On the other hand, Quinn was a reserved man, his dignity an impenetrable cloak around him, unbreachable save by a select group. Only Ian and too few others knew of his wonderful sense of humor and vitality.

The men had nothing in common, though Ian loved them both in different ways. His uncles were simply striving to make the unfamiliar understandable to themselves, a little armchair psychology within the family.

Calmer now, Ian left the privacy of the bathroom and returned to the den, to find Quinn and his dad discussing their recent vacation. 

Keith turned to Ian and said, "Mom and I were thinking of going on a cruise next summer. How about the two of you joining us?"

Ian felt a pulse of happiness beat through him at his father's invitation. His parents included them so naturally in all of their family activities; perhaps that was why hearing his uncles' perspective had surprised him so.

"That sounds marvelous, Dad." At Quinn's wink, Ian said, "We'd love to go."

The sounds of people leaving filtered into the den, so the men rose to see the relatives off. Ian managed to treat his uncles the same as the rest of the departing guests, and was pleased with his effort.

Now the whole family could sit comfortably in the living room. Jo brought out the watermelon lemonade amid the desultory conversation.

Keith said, "I told the boys about our vacation idea, Jo, and they're interested. How about your little family, Monty? Are you up for a cruise with us all next May?"

Monty looked at Kathy's eager face, and said, "We're in too, Dad. How about the Bahamas?" 

This started a lively discussion on the best ports of call, and when Quinn and Ian left half an hour later, the others were still mulling them over. 

As soon as they arrived home that night, Quinn steered Ian to their sofa recliner. There was a serious cast to Ian's features, unexpected after a day of celebration, and Quinn wanted to help him, whatever the problem turned out to be.

Ian immediately reached for Quinn's hand, running his fingers over the palm. "I overheard a conversation this afternoon that I wasn't supposed to hear."

Quinn sighed. Growing up in his circumstances, he could well imagine what might have been said. "That must have been difficult for you." Quinn gripped Ian's hand in mid-caress.

"It wasn't anything hateful, just surprising." Ian's fingers tightened on his. "My uncles were discussing our relationship in the kitchen, and they thought you filled the big-brother gap that I've supposedly felt since Monty's marriage."

"Oh, ho!" Quinn exclaimed. "The dangers of an erudite clan. They've obviously been reading too much Freud. So many of his theories have since been discredited."

Ian began to chuckle. "I might have known you'd look at this from an academic standpoint."

"Always a good starting place, especially when their conjecture is preposterous. All that's needed is to sit with Monty and me in the same room for five minutes, and anyone can see our utter dissimilarity."

Thus reassured, Ian was ready to put the subject to bed, joined there in short order by Quinn and himself. They settled in for the night, one of Quinn's hands drifting in idle circles over Ian's chest, while the other ran a familiar tassel over his cheek.

Ian's eyes opened in delighted surprise. "Mmmmm. Feels so right, love." 

Quinn gradually intensified the caresses, relishing each sound his lover made as a result. Now Quinn moved with purpose, picking up the pace until it ignited them both. When they eased down into sleep, the men dreamed of their future together.


End file.
